September 9th Magic: Celebrating Three Years in Paradise and Two Years of Storytelling"

Well, would you believe it? This Tuesday, September 9th, marks not one but TWO major anniversaries in my life. Three years ago to the day, my husband and I stepped off that plane in León, drove through the Mexican highlands, and arrived in San Miguel de Allende to start another new life. And exactly two years ago on the same date, I nervously pressed "publish" on the very first episode of Nomadic Diaries.

Talk about the universe having a sense of timing, eh?

From the Back and Beyond to the Heart of Mexico

Growing up in Scotland, I thought moving from Glasgow to Largs was banishment to the provinces (sorry, Largs!). That wee ten-year-old, who felt displaced by family repatriation, could never have imagined she'd one day find her truest home in the cobblestone streets of a Mexican colonial town.

But here's the thing about home - sometimes it's not where you're from, but where you finally exhale and think, "Aye, this is it" or "Aye, this’ll dae fine”.

SMA has given me something I didn't even know I was searching for. The morning light hitting the Parroquia reminds me of Edinburgh's golden hour, but with jacaranda trees instead of gray stone. The sense of community here rivals any Highland village, but with mariachi instead of bagpipes, and just recently we heard both playing together in the same concert!  Makes the ears wonder doesn’t it?

Two Years of Sharing Our Stories

Nomadic Diaries, the podcast started because I was tired of the silence around repatriation struggles, relocations and the expat veneer of “isn’t it such a wonderful life”. Everyone talks about the excitement of moving abroad, but who's discussing the complex journeys of starting those adventures or even better the coming back home? Or the beautiful messiness of finding home in unexpected places?

From my grandmother's heartbreaking return to Scotland to my own turbulent repatriation to Louisiana, I knew these stories needed telling. What I didn't expect was how many of you would share your own journeys - from successful returns to joyful relocations to challenging transitions that ultimately led to growth.

The Magic of Liminal Spaces

One thing I've learned through both living these experiences and documenting them: there's profound creativity in transition. That uncomfortable space between who you were and who you're becoming? That's where the magic happens.

Whether you're contemplating a move, struggling with reverse culture shock, or celebrating your own successful transition, remember this Scottish truth: you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and more capable than you imagine.

What's Next?

The book (yes, "Unsettled" is closing in on being complete!), more podcast episodes diving deep into the psychology of place and belonging, and hopefully many more years of SMA sunrises with my morning coffee.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, for sharing your stories, and for proving that home isn't just geography - it's where we choose to put down roots and grow.

Here's to the next chapter, wherever it may lead us!

Slàinte from San Miguel! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇲🇽

P.S. If you've got a repatriation or relocation story you'd like to share on Nomadic Diaries, drop me a line. The best stories are the ones that remind us we're not alone in this beautifully complicated business of finding where we belong.